Spring Newsletter

Dear TSGers, is it Spring yet? It must be, as the TSG Masters is only 10 days away! Yes, the curtain raiser to the golfing season starts next Sunday (30 April) at the newly named The Heron Golf Club in Brentwood, Essex. This event and the Par 3 Championship in June are SOLD OUT.

The TSG Matchplay draw has been made. However, there are still a few places up for grabs (byes only), for any new joiners wishing to take part. Visit the TSG MATCHPLAY page by Friday 29th April, and teel you want to enter and we will add your name to the draw.

This just leaves us to finalise the venue for this Summer's TSG OPEN Championship. We are talking to a number of clubs and will update you all shortly.

Finally, with the new TSG membership tier work now complete, we turn our attention to improving the internal pages and adding new pages - see the examples below. Oh, and whilst it's only vanity, we are very pleased to say that TSG is now averaging more than 20K unique visitors a month (*Google Analytics), meaning all your course reviews are being read so, keep up the good work everyone!

#TSGISAHAPPYPLACE  #BEHAPPY 

NEW SITE PAGES: Monthly Leaderboard Winners.

Want to see how you compare to your fellow TSGers each month by competing to be one of our monthly leaderboard winners?

Every month TSGers who enter their scorecards into The Social Golfer Handicap Calculator system, automatically have their rounds entered into our monthly leaderboard league table.

How It Works

Once signed up to either our TSG HANDICAP or PRO membership tier and upon entering TEN cards, you will be eligible for the monthly competition. Each month, the highest scorecard submission will be ranked by Stableford points, with the eventual winner receiving the much coveted TSG GREEN TOWEL!

As a member of The Social Golfer, you can enter our major golf tournaments each year by upgrading your annual membership to PRO.

NEW SITE PAGES: The Trevor Sandford Trophy.

In memory of a much loved TSG member who was well known for loving a Chip-In-Birdie when he played.

Back in 2014, TSGer, Trevor Sandford, embarked on an epic journey to play a different golf course on the M25, every day for a month. During this journey, Trevor was famous for recording the number of Chip-In-Birdies in his 31 rounds! He then wrote a book about it, which is available to buy on Amazon.

GOLF AGAINST CANCER (A Month of Madness on the M25) >>

The Trevor Sandford Trophy

In order to commemorate his passing, the TSG Team dedicated the Trevor Sandford Trophy to the community. Now known as 'The Trevor' Sandford Trophy, everyone who records a Chip-In-Birdie at a TSG Major event, receives their very own medal. Read More...

TSG PROMO: New Golf Brand Hits UK

We are always keen to highlight new brands and products on the site and this month we're looking at Shaw Golf. Started by a couple of young lads who are keen to break some of the stuffy traditions in golf apparel, the guys are sharing their new 2023 range via The Social Golfer

Shaw Golf is a golf clothing company created by Pro golfer Harry Shaw and his brother Lewy. They’ve spent the last 2 years working on their designs, testing different fabrics, and getting feedback from both their customers and professional Tour players using them day in and day out.  

And they’re proud to say they’ve come up with what they believe is the best-looking, best-performing golf gear available for the money.

This exclusive range offers a choice of 20 brand-new designer polos.

SHAW GOLF is offering 20% off their first order of the new range - just visit the website link below...

TSG GOLF STATS: What is the average age of a Club Member?

Courtesy of The Golf Business Magazine

A new survey of UK golf clubs has found that they’re still performing strongly but the pandemic growth is slowing down.

Accountancy firm Hillier Hopkins polled 82 golf clubs as part of an annual research project, with 71 of them being private members’ clubs.

• 3/4 of Golfers are over 40
• 64% are aged 50+
• 21% are aged over 70
• 76% Men, 15% Women, and 9% Juniors

The number of clubs with waiting lists has fallen to 52 percent in 2022 from 60 percent in 2021.

In terms of subscription costs, 74 percent of club membership fees are more than £1,000 a year and the number of clubs with memberships exceeding £1,600 a year has increased by 36 percent.

The average round of golf for members has increased from £36 in 2021 to £43.50 in 2022.

READ MORE...

TSG TRAVEL PARTNERS:  APRIL OFFERS...

Golf Escape's impartial advice is second to none, and with more years of experience in the team than they would like to admit, they will find the perfect escape for you and your group. For great advice, give the team a call to find out more on 01342 811 777.  

Don't forget to mention THE SOCIAL GOLFER and get £25 off your booking!

TSG FUNNIES: The Pothole Open 2023

This issue's golf funny comes from the West Country (article courtesy of the Swindon Advertiser).

A teenager who turned his pothole-stricken road into a crazy golf course says more than 20 people showed up to play a round. Ben Thornbury, 18, was so frustrated at the state of the roads on Malmesbury’s High Street, that he created a sign saying “High Street Crazy Potholes Golf” and opened the course to the public.

Now he’s hoping that the attention his cheeky stunt has created, including a huge social media reaction and a visit from a national tabloid, will force the council into taking action. 

“I'm really proud it was my idea”, said Ben. “People were playing crazy golf in the middle of the high street while all the cars were coming past. Probably more than 20 people turned up - for a small town that’s very good. A family had just come into town for the day, they rocked up in the middle of the road and started playing golf with us. It’s just been such a rewarding feeling and people have been messaging me saying, ‘You’ve done it again for the community’."

#GoBen

TSG LEADERBOARD: (sponsored by 2fore1.co.uk)

February Winner

David Jacobs at Top Meadow GC with 45 pts.  

March Winner

Alan Y at Birchwood GC with 45 pts.

The TSG GREEN towels are on their way to you!

COURSE REVIEW: Purdis Heath GC, Ipswich, Suffolk

Great Course!

I had the opportunity to play here with TSGer, John Day, who recently became a member of this very nice club. It was a bit of a trek for me from SE London up to Ipswich but I concluded it was worth the travel.

The first thing to mention is the very modern clubhouse, with very good signage to the Proshop (which is well stocked with good stuff). The Changing Rooms were excellent and the club boasts a relaxed and comfortable bar that serves a very good breakfast, plus all the staff were friendly and helpful.

I only used the Practice green facility which was near the first tee and proved to be representative of most greens on the course. However, there are Practice nets and a range (of sorts) but I didn't visit them.

The course itself starts with a gentle Par 4 to get you going, and quite a generous fairway and approach. After that, there is a mix of great Par 3s, some longish 4s and some good length 5s - all littered with numerous bunkers, all very well kept with rakes on nicely raised stands.

This course has LOTS of trees and heather to catch you out, and while it would seem unlikely to lose balls on this course, you will have to take your punishment for being offline. As it was Winter (Feb 2023), a few of the holes were off mats but these were good quality and not an issue.

It wasn't busy when we played (at about half ten on a Thursday morning) so we went round at a comfortable speed. There were a few undulations to navigate but it's not a difficult walk. All in all, it was well worth a visit. Perhaps you can get a game with a member - I paid £35 quid a round which seemed reasonable compared to a lot of courses. I would certainly travel up and play again.

Steve Hunt (H'cap Index 17)